Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-07
Senator Bowen's Excellent Poker
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From the PhfI1deip1in Timfs

from the fhfLHUeiDhdu Times.
Senator Bowen of Colorado has come to
be universally acknowledged as the most
expert poker player In Washington. He
plays simply for amusement and TO dis
play before mis- legislative colleagues the
wonderful skill he mas attained. The
fact Is, That he has made study OF poker
just as some men find recreation in the
study OF botany or geology. No one ever
leaves the Senator's rooms anything out
OF pocket. He wins on nearly every deal
during the evening. but he always takes
care TO lose again what he has gained be-
fore the game is over. All the stories
about his winning immense amounts at
poker are false. Ga the contrary, every
game has cost him considerable in the
way of cigars and wines for his guests.
Mr.. Bowen's face well fits him for
eminence in the noble science of poker
1t is clear cut, nard-teaJured, immobile
face, which can, at the voltOn of its
owner, become as eXpressiOnless "a the
face of cigar store Indian. He has a
perfect mastery over his features. He
can listen to the merrest joke without
relaxing a musice, and can preserve the
perfect lmm0bilIty Of his features IN the
highest jack pots, even though he holds
but an ace high. He does not, like some
poker players, try to deceive his adver-
saries by smiling when he has a poor
hand and looking grum when he has a
good one. This he regards as all chiId's
play. He believes liz allowing his OPP
ponents to extract no Information, Gecep-
tive or otherwise, from his face, and
maintains the cigar store Indian express
sion from beginning to end Of the game.
Ii is supposed that he is a tremendous
buffer, although he regulates his bluffing
SO adroitly that he has seldom been called
without at least good pair to show up.
Almost every third hand be islands
pat" A lO0ker-On would swear that
these "pats" were bluffs, but somehow or
other, when any one tries to catch him at
it. he generally shows up full hand, a
straight, or flush. He has wonderful
talent for keeping tbs run of the cards
On several occasions he has been known
to draw out OF q GOOD jack pot with a
straight or three OF n kind, and be has
been known to stay in with D single pair.
Be it said, however, that when he goes out
with the straight, some other fellow Is
pretty sure to have flush, and that
when he stays in with q pair they are
good.
While the betting is going on, he seems
to take more account OF the faces OF his
opponents than of his cards. When he
gets into good jack pot he lays down his
cards, eyes the other man, and does not
relax his scrutiny even while picking up
cuips. MS ueaIlu@ Is d tHlHg Oh DeuuLy
to all admirers of poker. He can twist
and jerk cards around in almost as many
styles az Hermann, and does it with
loving tenderness Tor the pasteboards
which is very nearly pathetic. When he
rises from the game be discards the
petrifed expression, and becomes one of
the most jovial looking men in Washing
ton as he hands around the CHARS and
glasses. In justice 10 the Senator, it
must be said that Notwithstanding his
wonderful proficiency in the noble science,
he is modest, and mas never been heard
TO boast,